diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e54df63..7aaf0b2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,16 +1,40 @@
 
-default:
+BOLD := \033[1m
+RESET := \033[0m
+GREEN := \033[1;32m
+
+default: help
+
+install: ## Install all development dependencies in editable mode
 	pip install -e .[develop]
+.PHONY: install
+
 
-build: clean
+test: ## Run tests
+	pytest tests/
+.PHONY: test
+
+lint: ## Run ruff check and fix
+	ruff check . --fix
+.PHONY: lint
+
+build: clean ## Build the package
 	python -m build -s -w
 
 publish: build
 	twine upload dist/*
+.PHONY: publish
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf dist/
 	rm -rf build/
+.PHONY: clean
 
 backend:
 	docker-compose run --rm --service-ports backend bash
+
+help:
+	@echo "$(BOLD)django-ltree Makefile"
+	@echo "Please use 'make $(BOLD)target$(RESET)' where $(BOLD)target$(RESET) is one of:"
+	@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+:.*?## .*$$' $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)) | sort | awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "}; {printf "$(GREEN)%-30s$(RESET) %s\n", $$1, $$2}'
+.PHONY: help
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/django_ltree/fields.py b/django_ltree/fields.py
index b967b8a..43641f4 100644
--- a/django_ltree/fields.py
+++ b/django_ltree/fields.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
     "invalid",
 )
 
-
 class PathValue(UserList):
     def __init__(self, value):
         if isinstance(value, str):
@@ -66,6 +65,7 @@ class PathField(TextField):
     def db_type(self, connection):
         return "ltree"
 
+
     def formfield(self, **kwargs):
         kwargs["form_class"] = PathFormField
         kwargs["widget"] = TextInput(attrs={"class": "vTextField"})
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ def get_db_prep_value(self, value, connection, prepared=False):
         raise ValueError("Unknown value type {}".format(type(value)))
 
 
-class LqueryField(PathField):
+class LqueryField(TextField):
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.editable = False
+
     def db_type(self, connection):
         return "lquery"
diff --git a/django_ltree/lookups.py b/django_ltree/lookups.py
index b363546..9dd570f 100644
--- a/django_ltree/lookups.py
+++ b/django_ltree/lookups.py
@@ -1,46 +1,42 @@
-from django.db.models import Lookup
+from django.contrib.postgres.fields import ArrayField
+from django.contrib.postgres.lookups import PostgresOperatorLookup
+from django.db.models import Value
 
-from .fields import PathField
-
-
-class SimpleLookup(Lookup):
-    lookup_operator = "="  # type: str
-
-    def as_sql(self, compiler, connection):
-        lhs, lhs_params = self.process_lhs(compiler, connection)
-        rhs, rhs_params = self.process_rhs(compiler, connection)
-        return "{} {} {}".format(lhs, self.lookup_operator, rhs), [*lhs_params, *rhs_params]
+from .fields import LqueryField, PathField
 
 
 @PathField.register_lookup
-class EqualLookup(Lookup):
+class EqualLookup(PostgresOperatorLookup):
+    postgres_operator = "="
     lookup_name = "exact"
 
-    def as_sql(self, compiler, connection):
-        lhs, lhs_params = self.process_lhs(compiler, connection)
-        rhs, rhs_params = self.process_rhs(compiler, connection)
-        return "{} = {}".format(lhs, rhs), [*lhs_params, *rhs_params]
-
-
 @PathField.register_lookup
-class AncestorLookup(SimpleLookup):
+class AncestorLookup(PostgresOperatorLookup):
     lookup_name = "ancestors"
-    lookup_operator = "@>"
+    postgres_operator = "@>"
 
 
 @PathField.register_lookup
-class DescendantLookup(SimpleLookup):
+class DescendantLookup(PostgresOperatorLookup):
     lookup_name = "descendants"
-    lookup_operator = "<@"
+    postgres_operator = "<@"
 
 
 @PathField.register_lookup
-class MatchLookup(SimpleLookup):
+class MatchLookup(PostgresOperatorLookup):
     lookup_name = "match"
-    lookup_operator = "~"
+    postgres_operator = "~"
 
 
 @PathField.register_lookup
-class ContainsLookup(SimpleLookup):
+class ContainsLookup(PostgresOperatorLookup):
     lookup_name = "contains"
-    lookup_operator = "?"
+    postgres_operator = "?"
+
+    def __init__(self, lhs, rhs):
+        if not isinstance(rhs, (tuple, list)):
+            raise TypeError("Contains lookup requires a list or tuple of values")
+
+        rhs = Value(rhs, output_field=ArrayField(base_field=LqueryField()))
+        super().__init__(lhs, rhs)
+
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e80b239..3cdc100 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -37,4 +37,12 @@ Tracker = "https://github.com/mariocesar/django_ltree/issues"
 include = ["django_ltree", "django_ltree.migrations"]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-develop = ["twine", "tox"]
+develop = [
+    "pytest",
+    "pytest-django",
+    "pytest-cov",
+    "psycopg[binary]",
+    "twine",
+    "tox",
+    "ruff"
+]
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 6fe8691..51a687a 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ def pytest_sessionstart(session):
                 "HOST": os.environ.get("DJANGO_DATABASE_HOST", "database"),
                 "USER": os.environ.get("DJANGO_DATABASE_USER", "postgres"),
                 "PASSWORD": os.environ.get("DJANGO_DATABASE_PASSWORD", "postgres"),
+                "PORT": os.environ.get("DJANGO_DATABASE_PORT", 5432),
             }
         },
         ROOT_URLCONF="tests.urls",
diff --git a/tests/test_lookups.py b/tests/test_lookups.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a03a482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_lookups.py
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import pytest
+from taxonomy.models import Taxonomy
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+
+def test_lookups_pattern_matching():
+    """Test basic lquery pattern matching with existing Taxonomy model."""
+    # Create some test data using the existing Taxonomy model
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR Department")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.finance", name="Finance Department")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.projects.alpha", name="Project Alpha")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Public Documentation")
+
+    # Test basic pattern matching
+    hr_matches = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__match="tenant_a.departments.*")
+    assert hr_matches.count() == 2
+
+    # Test wildcard pattern
+    tenant_a_matches = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__match="tenant_a.*")
+    assert tenant_a_matches.count() == 2
+
+def test_lookups_contains():
+    """Test the key feature: contains lookup with array of lquery patterns."""
+    # Create test data
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.projects.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
+
+    # Test array of patterns with contains lookup
+    patterns = [
+        "tenant_a.departments.*",  # HR department
+        "shared.public.*",         # Public docs
+    ]
+
+    matching = Taxonomy.objects.filter(
+        path__contains=patterns
+    )
+
+    # Should match HR and public docs (2 items)
+    assert matching.count() == 2
+
+    matched_names = set(item.name for item in matching)
+    assert "HR" in matched_names
+    assert "Docs" in matched_names
+
+def test_lookups_contains_with_single_value():
+    """Test the contains lookup with a single value."""
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.projects.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
+
+    matching = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__contains=["tenant_a.*"])
+    assert matching.count() == 2
+    matched_names = set(item.name for item in matching)
+    assert "HR" in matched_names
+    assert "Alpha Project" in matched_names
+
+def test_lookups_contains_invalid_value():
+    """Test the contains lookup with an invalid value."""
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.projects.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__contains="tenant_a.*")
+
+def test_lookups_ancestors():
+    """Test the ancestors lookup."""
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a", name="Tenant A")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments", name="Departments")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
+
+    matching = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__ancestors="tenant_a.departments")
+    assert matching.count() == 2
+    matched_names = set(item.name for item in matching)
+    assert "Tenant A" in matched_names
+    assert "Departments" in matched_names
+
+def test_lookups_descendants():
+    """Test the descendants lookup."""
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a", name="Tenant A")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments", name="Departments")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
+
+    matching = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__descendants="tenant_a.departments")
+
+    assert matching.count() == 3
+    matched_names = set(item.name for item in matching)
+    assert "HR" in matched_names
+    assert "Alpha Project" in matched_names
+    assert "Departments" in matched_names
+
+def test_lookups_exact():
+    """Test the exact lookup."""
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a", name="Tenant A")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments", name="Departments")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
+    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
+
+    matching = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__exact="tenant_a.departments.hr")
+    assert matching.count() == 1
+    assert "HR" == matching.first().name
diff --git a/tests/test_lquery_field.py b/tests/test_lquery_field.py
index 9202972..2071569 100644
--- a/tests/test_lquery_field.py
+++ b/tests/test_lquery_field.py
@@ -1,89 +1,11 @@
-from django.contrib.postgres.fields import ArrayField
-from django.db.models import Value
-from taxonomy.models import Taxonomy
+import pytest
 
-from django_ltree.fields import LqueryField, PathField
+from django_ltree.fields import LqueryField
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
 
 
 def test_lquery_field_db_type():
     """Test that LqueryField returns correct database type."""
     field = LqueryField()
     assert field.db_type(connection=None) == "lquery"
-
-
-def test_lquery_field_inherits_from_pathfield():
-    """Test that LqueryField inherits PathField functionality."""
-    field = LqueryField()
-    assert isinstance(field, PathField)
-
-    # Should inherit PathField's value processing
-    assert field.get_prep_value("simple.path") == "simple.path"
-    assert field.get_prep_value(["multi", "part", "path"]) == "multi.part.path"
-
-
-def test_lquery_field_basic_validation():
-    """Test that LqueryField accepts valid lquery patterns."""
-    from django.db import models
-
-    class TestModel(models.Model):
-        pattern = LqueryField()
-
-        class Meta:
-            app_label = 'tests'
-
-    # Valid lquery patterns should not raise ValidationError
-    valid_patterns = [
-        "simple.path",
-        "*.wildcard.path",
-        "path.*.with.wildcard",
-        "f63969a8-536f-4c80-a0a3-fafdb53cb7cf.*"
-    ]
-
-    for pattern in valid_patterns:
-        instance = TestModel(pattern=pattern)
-        instance.full_clean()  # Should not raise
-
-
-def test_lquery_pattern_matching(db):
-    """Test basic lquery pattern matching with existing Taxonomy model."""
-    # Create some test data using the existing Taxonomy model
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR Department")
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.finance", name="Finance Department")
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.projects.alpha", name="Project Alpha")
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Public Documentation")
-
-    # Test basic pattern matching
-    hr_matches = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__match="tenant_a.departments.*")
-    assert hr_matches.count() == 2
-
-    # Test wildcard pattern
-    tenant_a_matches = Taxonomy.objects.filter(path__match="tenant_a.*")
-    assert tenant_a_matches.count() == 2
-
-
-def test_lquery_array_contains_lookup(db):
-    """Test the key feature: contains lookup with array of lquery patterns."""
-    # Create test data
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.departments.hr", name="HR")
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_a.projects.alpha", name="Alpha Project")
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="tenant_b.departments.eng", name="Engineering")
-    Taxonomy.objects.create(path="shared.public.docs", name="Docs")
-
-    # Test array of patterns with contains lookup
-    patterns = [
-        "tenant_a.departments.*",  # HR department
-        "shared.public.*",         # Public docs
-    ]
-
-    output_field = ArrayField(base_field=LqueryField())
-
-    matching = Taxonomy.objects.filter(
-        path__contains=Value(patterns, output_field=output_field)
-    )
-
-    # Should match HR and public docs (2 items)
-    assert matching.count() == 2
-
-    matched_names = set(item.name for item in matching)
-    assert "HR" in matched_names
-    assert "Docs" in matched_names